NC RENEGADE: SECESSION: DOES A STATE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SECEDE FROM THE UNION?

Last month I taught classes on the Constitution, Our Founding Fathers, Our Founding Principles, The Federal Court System, The Supreme Court, and Judicial Activism. I was struck by how many people want to learn such topics but just don’t know where to go to be educated or how to trust that they will be taught the right stuff. But one question that came up almost every class period and by every group was this: “Do the states have the right to secede.” Well, there were several people at the program who were instructors, and three of us being attorneys (me being the least experienced and especially with a background in patents). Each instructor who was asked the question gave a different answer. I didn’t know, so that was my answer, although I explained what John Locke would have said and what the answer would be if you look at the Constitution as a Social Contract. I also know what our Founders would have said, as clearly written in the Declaration.


So, seeing that people were generally interested in that question, I thought I would use that topic as the one I’d review here. Besides, the topic of secession is one that necessarily talks about States’ rights and State sovereignty and those issues are very important right now, especially seeing that our government has become a runaway train.

We declared our separation from Great Britain in 1776 with the Declaration of Independence, which was an act of secession. We dissolved our bonds of government with the King and Parliament. “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
CONTINUE READING:  http://ncrenegade.com/editorial/secession-does-a-state-have-the-right-to-secede-from-the-union/#more-5523